


The Beginning

by free2write1017



Category: The Freshman & The Sophomore (Visual Novels)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-10
Updated: 2018-04-10
Packaged: 2019-04-21 03:44:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14276199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/free2write1017/pseuds/free2write1017
Summary: "She turned toward him and they studied each other for a long moment. Her eyes quickly traveled his entire face, taking in his features carefully. This was the only way she could come up with to solidify the image of him in her brain for when they were apart." A two chapter series about Zig and MC preparing to spend their first extended time apart after making their relationship official at the end of The Freshman book 3.





	1. First Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!
> 
> Well, this little series was written right after the ending of The Freshman book 3. Zig and the MC had just gone to the dance and made their relationship official. But summer was approaching and I couldn't help but think about how that would affect them. I know book 4 went the route of everyone going on a summer road trip, but I thought it might be interesting to re-imagine what might happen if instead Zig stayed back at Hartfeld to work during the summer and prepare for his first year of college while the MC traveled home. I hope you enjoy this and thanks for reading!

All of the other suitemates had already headed home for the summer and she and Zig were parked on the couch, a half empty pizza box on the coffee table and a couple of empty soda cans beside it. They’d watched a few episodes of The Crown and The Flame and Zig had liked it more than she expected him to. But with each minute that ticked off of the clock, her unease grew until she began brooding. As the ending credits of the episode played, Zig nudged her.

“I can’t believe I’ve never watched this before! Did you see that guy with the fire power?!”

“Dom?” she replied absently. He nodded vigorously.

“He has no idea what’s happening now but he’s going to be a beast later! I can tell!”

She nodded, too lost in her own thoughts to even pretend she was paying attention. She failed to notice Zig’s eyes narrow in concern as he flicked off the TV. But his words immediately brought her to attention.

“What’s going on? This is our last night together before you leave for three months and you’re not here with me.”

He was on the edge of sounding agitated but still had enough of an inquisitive tone to not come off too angry. Still, she could tell he was working really hard at maintaining his tone. She shook her head in defeat.

“I’m so sorry, Zig. I just…I’m dreading tomorrow. I don’t want to go.”

She looked up at him then and she knew how forlorn she must have looked. It hurt to imagine the distance that would soon be spread between them. His expression immediately softened.

“I know. It’s been on my mind too. But I don’t want to spend these last few hours we have together being depressed about the fact that it’s the last few hours we have together.”

She ran a hand through her hair, her agitation apparent. “You’re right. I’m just having a hard time snapping out of it. There are so many little things about leaving that bother me.”

“Like what? Maybe if we talk about them, it’ll help.”

She hesitated, taking a deep breath. She wasn’t sure she was ready to voice these thoughts yet but when would a better time present itself? She released the breath she was holding and spoke.

“Well, for starters, I don’t like leaving you here all alone.”

Zig smirked. “Why? You think I’ll be lonely?” Then, almost immediately, his expression sobered. “Wait, you’re not worried about me doing anything with anyone while you’re gone, are you?”

She shook her head quickly. “Absolutely not. I mean, I get that you’ll probably get hit on constantly with me not around to show others you’re with someone. Because, let’s face it, babe…you’re _hot_.” She wiggled her eyebrows at him playfully and he shook his head.

“Well, I could say the same thing about you. Don’t think for a minute that I haven’t considered all the guys who will be trying to flirt with you back home.” He raised an eyebrow at her and she smiled.

“Fair enough. Anyway, I’m not worried about you cheating. I trust you. I just know you’re new to the city and still adjusting. I guess I just don’t want you to be alone.”

He gently stroked her chin. “I’ll be okay. I’ll be working pretty much all day every day so that will keep me busy. It’ll keep my mind off of missing you, too.”

A flash of sadness crossed his expression for a second but he quickly forced a smile. “I don’t want you to worry about me. Okay?”

She bit her lip uncertainty. “Okay. I’ll try.”

It was a small comfort to know he was struggling with their upcoming separation too. At least they were on the same page and could be there for each other.

“Good, one problem down. What else is bothering you?”

Her cheeks reddened. Talking like this with someone she was dating was new for her but it was actually starting to help.

“I guess the main thing is _this_. Sitting with you…holding your hand. I’m going to miss you being near me.”

He smiled sympathetically as he caressed her cheek. “Come here.”

He eased her onto his lap and she rested against him as he delicately stroked her thigh. “I know how you feel. I feel it too, believe me.”  He brushed his lips against her temple. “What can I do to make this better?”

“Convince my mom to let me stay here with you all summer?”

He chuckled. “The last thing I want to do is get on your mom’s bad side before she’s even met me.”

She sighed. Of course that was a long shot. “Fine. Then you’ll have to come visit me.”

She said it teasingly but Zig paused before speaking. “I think I can do that.”

She sat up in his lap, staring at him in shock. “What?!”

“I can come visit you. I’ll be working like a dog all summer but I’m sure I can request a few days off. It’s a great idea!”

His entire demeanor had lifted and she swallowed hard. This was exactly the kind if thing she didn’t want him doing…putting himself in a bind just to make her feel better. “I was just joking! I mean I know you need to work and save up for books and school supplies. I don’t want you to feel obligated…”

He probed her eyes for a moment, the light immediately dimming from his own, before speaking quietly. “You don’t really want me to come, do you?”

“Hey, no. Don’t do that. That’s not what this is.” She gave him a stern look and he shifted his gaze to his lap.

“Zig…look at me.”

Momentarily he obeyed, but a hint of hurt was still etched in his features. She had to do what she could to take that pain away.

“I want you with me all the time. And I’m so proud because when someone asks me if I have a boyfriend, I get to say it’s you.” She cupped his face in her hands and he placed his hands on top of hers.

“So stop doubting yourself and trust me when I say I’m really happy.”

His expression remained unchanged for a moment and she almost thought he was going to ignore her. Then a hint of a smile played on his lips. “I get it. Thanks for saying that. And I’ll come visit you.”

She grinned in satisfaction. “Thank you.” Then she jumped up off of his lap and onto her feet. “This is so exciting! I can’t wait for my parents to meet you! And my old high school friends will be so jealous of-”

“Um, hold on. Your parents?” He seemed to pale as she nodded vigorously, unconcerned about his panicked interjection.

“What, you think you’re going to come visit me in my home town and _not_ see them?”

He shifted uncomfortably as he averted his eyes. “Well, no. It’s just…we’ve barely started dating and I figured maybe you wouldn’t want that yet.”

She scrutinized him as he continued to look uneasy. He’d gone to that negative place again. Well, she wasn’t about to let him stay there. She lowered herself back down next to him, placing a hand in his leg.

“Listen, my mom already knows everything about you. She’s been asking me when she’d meet you. And when I told her you asked me out at the dance, she started crying.”

His eyes widened in surprise. “Wow.”

“Yeah, she said she was so happy for me because of all you and I had been through last semester and how much I…” she trailed off as a sly smile slowly appeared on his lips. “What?”

“Sounds like you talk about me a lot to your mom, huh?”

She rolled her eyes. “Well, you talk about me to yours! So what’s your point?”

“My point is, your mom started _crying_. You must have talked about me non stop to get that kind of reaction.”

She blushed deeply. “Would you shut it?”

“I’m just saying…”

“I said _shut it_.”

He grinned, obviously pleased he’d gotten that reaction out of her. She pretended to pout as she crossed her arms and he laughed.

“Alright, alright, I’ll stop teasing. The truth is, I know I talk about you way more. And it’s nice that you and your mom are so close. I can’t wait to meet her.”

She kissed him lightly before pausing to lock eyes with him. “Good answer.”

“So, what now?” He questioned, his fingertips gently kneading her shoulder. She closed her eyes with a contented sigh, feeling some of the tension there start to melt away.

“I don’t know…it’s getting late and I know you open tomorrow.”

He grimaced. “Yeah, that’s true. I hate that early morning shift. Plus your mom’s going to be here pretty early to pick you up.” He gently smoothed her hair. “But I’m not ready to leave you just yet.”

She opened her eyes and glanced at him as she smiled sadly. “Same here.”  

“Well, let’s watch one more episode of the show because I’m kind of hooked now. And then we’ll see how we feel. Cool?”

She nodded, stifling a yawn. She could tell she was starting to lose the battle against her own fatigue but she was desperate for a little more time with her boyfriend. He turned the TV back on and shifted to lay flat on the couch, his head against the armrest. He pulled her down so that her head was on his chest and her legs were nestled between his. She knew this position wouldn’t be good for her attempts to stay awake but he was so comfortable. She wrapped her arms around him and stared at the episode she’d seen many times until her eyelids got heavy. Pretty soon she was being awakened by Zig’s fingertips trailing along her hairline.

“Hey, sleepy head. It’s time for bed.” He gently sat up, coaxing her along with him but she frowned and then yawned.

“I’m not tired.”

Zig stared at her before laughing out loud. “Babe, you were literally yawning as you said that. And you fell asleep on me. I know you’re exhausted. Just go to bed.”

Suddenly, her sadness surfaced and hit her like a ton of bricks. Her eyelids stung as she got to her feet and turned her back so that she was facing the kitchen. She didn’t want him to see her like this.

“I’m just not ready to, okay?!” Her tone was harsher than she would’ve liked but, in that moment, she couldn’t help it. The whole situation was frustrating her to no end.

She could hear Zig stand and walk up behind her. He carefully placed his hands on her shoulders and rubbed them gently.

“Did I do something to upset you? I really didn’t mean to.” The sincerity in his voice made her emotions surface even faster. She took in and released a couple of deep breaths before answering.

“It’s just, if I go to sleep now, that means you’ll go home and that means this will be the last time we see each other for a while. Like I said earlier, I’m not ready.”

He turned her toward him and frowned. As much as she wanted to hide it, she knew the distress was evident in her expression. He regarded her quietly and she felt intense vulnerability in that moment. It was as if he could see her feelings clearly and, although she was relieved, she was also unnerved at the same time.

Finally, he nodded. “Okay. I’ll stay.”

Her eyes met his in surprise. “What?”

“I’ll stay here with you tonight.”

She looked at him warily for second before giving a tentative smile. “Are you sure?”

He took her hand in his. “I am. Look, I don’t want to leave you either. And I do have to get up super early but I’ll say goodbye before I leave. Will that help at all?”

She nodded, wrapping him up in a tight hug. “It will. Thank you. And I’m sorry for snapping at you. I shouldn’t have taken my frustration out on you. ”

“It’s okay. It’s kind of nice seeing how much you want me around. I’m not….exactly used to that.” He suddenly looked uneasy and she smiled.

“Well, you better get used to it. Because I’m not going to stop wanting you around me any time soon.”

He blushed and she grinned in delight at his reaction. “Wow! I’m marking this day on my calendar…the day I made Zig blush! I never thought I’d live to see it.”

He smirked as he caught her hand up in his. “You’re just Little Miss Comedian tonight, aren’t you?”

She shrugged as they walked down the hall toward her bedroom. “My boyfriend taught me a thing or two, I guess.”

With one more affectionate glance, they parted ways to do their separate routines for bed. She jumped in the shower while Zig rifled through a drawer he’d claimed for a few of his belongings in case he unexpectedly stayed overnight with her. Then he showered while she finished packing. Eventually she felt like she’d done all she could to prepare her things for the trip and she brought her bags into the living room. With fatigue now settling deep within her bones, she pulled on her sleep shirt and slid under the covers, turning to the side to gaze out her window. She could see the moon through the curtains and thought about how in eight short hours the sun would be back out and she would be temporarily parting ways with the one man she cared deeply for. She released a heavy sigh as she tried not to linger too long on that train of thought. Then, just as she felt herself starting to nod off, she heard Zig’s distinct footfalls on her carpeted floor. The overhead light in her room flicked off soon after. Only the lamp on her nightstand remained, casting a warm glow throughout the room. He slid under the covers next to her, his arm immediately finding her waist, and pulled her in close.

She turned toward him and they studied each other for a long moment. Her eyes quickly traveled his entire face, taking in his features carefully. This was the only way she could come up with to solidify the image of him in her brain for when they were apart. She even loved seeing his damp hair in it’s natural, slightly curly, state.

“So, how are you feeling now?” he finally asked, his fingers tracing circular patterns on her hip.

“I’m still sad, but it’s nice having you next to me right now.” She placed her hand on his bare chest and found herself oddly reassured by the steady drum of his heartbeat. “I think I’ll sleep better tonight.”

“Good. Me too.” He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her fingers. Then he interlaced his fingers with hers as he spoke up again.

“So, I guess this is the last time we’ll get a chance to talk face to face before you leave tomorrow morning. I wanted to make sure I tell you how much I’m going to miss you. You’ll probably get sick of me saying it in the next few months but it’s the truth.”

“I”m going to miss you too, Zig. A lot.”

He stared down at their clasped hands thoughtfully before continuing. “I know you’re going to have a lot of down time so maybe just focus on spending time with your family and friends. And also definitely make sure you keep those hometown guys away from you since I won’t be there until later to set them straight. That should keep you busy.”

She giggled, softly shoving at his shoulder. “You really overestimate how often guys show interest in me. It happens like zero times a week.”

Zig raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “There’s no way that’s true because you are far too beautiful to not get _any_ attention. You probably just don’t notice it. ”

“Maybe.” She leaned in for a soft kiss. “I mean, not everyone has your natural charm and confidence.”

“Nah. I was just in the right place at the right time…” He paused, leaning in for his own lingering kiss. “…with the right girl.”

After a few more quick pecks, they broke apart and smiled at each other. Zig searched her expression before shaking his head and laughing a little. “I wish you could see how tired you look, babe. I’m surprised you haven’t fallen asleep mid-sentence yet. I definitely think it’s time to hit the sack.”

She wanted to fight him on it but didn’t have the energy or motivation. So she blew out a breath and nodded, looking down. “You’re right. I have to admit it…I’m so beat.” She shot him a half smile and he returned it with a smirk. Then he lowered himself down on her bed as she turned off her bedside lamp. With darkness enveloping them, she burrowed into her favorite spot…the space between his arm and torso. His body heat and familiar scent always comforted her. Tonight was no different. Instantly, she could feel herself falling into slumber. Her eyes drifted closed, he kissed the top of her head, and she smiled to herself.

“Goodnight.” he breathed.

“‘Night,” she murmured.

Within seconds, she was fast asleep.

 


	2. Heart to Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Here is part two of the series. It was originally written as a prompt for "Mother" but I also decided to weave it into the first chapter by having the MC confide in her mother about her feelings related to her new relationship. I hope it's a nice little cap to the first story and I also hope you enjoy it!

She saw her mom’s car pull up in the parking lot and sighed. Normally she’d be excited to see her family again and, though she missed and loved her parents, this time leaving campus was bittersweet.

Last night relaxing and spending time with Zig had been wonderful but also laced with sadness. She felt excited knowing they’d made plans for him to visit but it was still killing her to leave without him. Her mind began to wander to their farewell only hours before.

_ He woke her up early that morning to tell her he was leaving for work. She immediately became alert and jumped up to walk him out even though he wanted her to stay in bed and rest. When they reached the front door, he suddenly wrapped his arms tightly around her, drawing her to him. She clutched him back just as firmly, her hands fisting his shirt. They held one another for several moments but to her it felt like only a second. He eventually shifted to rest his forehead against hers and she gently traced her fingertips along the nape of his neck. Neither one spoke in that moment and they didn’t need to. He then leaned in to kiss her softly, his lips lingering as if he didn’t want to stop. She certainly didn’t want him to. When he finally pulled away, he searched her eyes and reassured her that everything would be fine and that he’d be thinking of her non-stop. Then, with one more parting kiss and a gentle squeeze to her waist, he disappeared on the other side of her closed door.  She stood against it for a moment trying to reign in her emotions. Eventually she dragged herself back to her room and collapsed into bed. She instinctively pulled his pillow toward her, inhaling his scent and feeling more alone than she could ever remember. Her mind kept racing, coming up with numerous thoughts and scenarios that resulted in them breaking up because of this distance. She kept feeling his phantom touches against her skin, making it impossible to focus on anything else. After an hour of tossing and turning, she finally drifted off into fitful sleep. _

With great effort, she forced herself back to the present and released a shuddering breath. She saw her mom finally park and shot Zig a text to let him know she was leaving. She grabbed her duffel bag and rolling suitcase and trudged toward the car. Her mom took one look at the expression on her face and frowned.

“What’s wrong? Honey, did something happen?”

She shook her head and felt herself choking up again. Her mom searched her eyes for a moment before wrapping her up in a hug.

“You’re going to miss him, aren’t you?”

“I already do.”

She chuckled. “Well, that’s how it is when you’re in love.”

Her mouth dropped open as she pulled out of the hug. “Love? Mom…no. I mean, we’ve been dating only a few weeks and I’ve known him just a little over three months. There’s no way.”

Her mom gave a knowing smile. “Okay, if you say so. But, let’s load up and go. Traffic is a little crazy today.”

Once they’d been on the road for a few minutes, her phone buzzed. She opened the text and saw that Zig had replied to her message:

_ Have a safe trip and let me know when you get home. _

Momentarily, another text came. It was a photo of a thick math book with it’s price tag showing. His message followed:

_ Oh and in the future, if you’re ever wondering why I never take you out to dinner, it’s because I had to spend my entire paycheck on this book. _

That was followed by an eye rolling emoji and a stack of money with wings. She giggled in spite of herself and sent back a laughing emoji. Then she quickly typed her own message:

_ Welcome to Hartfeld, College Man. And it’s okay…we have plenty of ramen noodles in the suite. _

_ LOL That’s what I call a fancy dinner. Is it a date? _

_ It’s a date, babe. _

_ Miss you _

_ Miss you, too. _

She smiled to herself but it slipped away quickly. She then set down her phone and sighed. After a moment of silence, she turned toward the driver seat. Her mind was racing with worried thoughts and she had to get them out.

“Mom, should I have waited to start dating Zig?” She blurted the question out before she realized what she was saying.

Her mom glanced at her with curiosity. “Why do you ask? Are you guys okay?”

“Yeah. We’re great. I’m just worried. I mean…we’ve only been official since the dance a few weeks ago. And now we’re going to be apart for a while. It just seems like a bad way to start off a relationship.”

Her mom smiled knowingly. “I get your point. It can be challenging. But, what would be different if you guys had decided to wait until after summer to date?”

She thought hard for a moment. Her mom had always been good at asking helpful questions. “I mean I guess we both might possibly meet other people over the summer. I also figured if we’d started dating later, at least we’d be around each other more at the beginning . But does that really matter? I don’t know. I just know I don’t want to be with anyone else right now.”

“Well, it sounds like making things official just allowed you to do what you wanted to do in the first place…be with him. And now you also have a commitment to each other to back it up.” Her mom’s tone was curious yet encouraging. It was unexpectedly comforting.

“Yeah, I guess. But is it selfish of me to agree to it under these circumstances?”

“He asked you, right?”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

“And he asked you knowing summer was coming?”

“That’s right.”

“So maybe he was ready to take this step, regardless of the time of year.”

She’d never thought of it that way but it made sense. “Okay, I can see that. It’s like, he’s prepared to deal with this barrier just like I am because he didn’t let it stop him from asking me to be with him at the dance.”

“That’s a strong possibility. But, Honey, whether this turns out to be bad or good, all you can do is trust your instincts and give your best effort to the relationship right now.”

She nodded, feeling more confident in her decision. Underneath all of her irrational thoughts and concerns was something peaceful. This felt right.

“Thanks, mom. That really helped.”

“I’m glad, sweetie.” A reminiscent smile came to her mom’s face then. They drove in a comfortable silence for a moment. Then her mom spoke up again.

“Did I ever tell you the story of how your father and I started dating?”

“Well, I know you guys met in your sophomore English class. And it was basically love at first sight, right?”

Her mom chuckled. “There’s a little more to it than that. See, we first met at the start of fall term our sophomore years. It was in our English class. He pretended to not know anything about sentence structure so that we could study together. And yes, we were inseparable from that point on. But we didn’t make it official until right before winter break.”

Her eyes widened in shock. “Mom, are you telling me that…”

“Yes. We were in basically the same situation you two are. Except we only had a month apart instead of three.”

“How have you never told me this?!” She couldn’t believe that was this was the first time she’d heard the details of their love story.

“Your father didn’t want you to know that part because he thought you might get too focused on boys instead of school.”

They both chuckled. “Classic Dad,” she quipped, rolling her eyes good-naturedly.

“He meant well. But now, I thought it might help you to know that I’ve been in your shoes.”

It was a bigger reassurance than she could have realized and she released an inward sigh of relief to know that she could talk more openly about everything going on in her head. “How did you deal with all of these feelings? Part of me feels silly for being so upset because we haven’t been together that long. At the same time, I also feel like he’s my boyfriend and regardless of how long we’ve been together, I still care about him a lot.”

Her mom nodded her head in understanding. “It was hard. We spent as much time together as we could before school let out and we called each other a lot while we were apart. We didn’t have all the technology you guys have now but we made do. And there were also times that I was just sad. So I let myself cry or vent. ”

“Yeah. I’ve definitely felt like crying myself a couple of times. And we’re going to keep in touch. In fact, he wants to come visit me during the break and…meet you guys.” She blushed deeply and her mom looked at her, eyes wide with surprise and a grin materializing on her face.

“Really? He wants to meet us?”

“Well, technically I told him he would meet you guys if he came to visit. Is that crazy?” Suddenly she was nervous. What if her parents didn’t think it was a good idea? What if she was about to jinx the relationship? What if they met and hated each other?

Her mom interrupted her worried thoughts by shaking her head and speaking up in reply. “I know meeting parents is important, but you don’t necessarily have to wait until a certain time frame for it to happen. Besides, I’ve already told you I can’t wait to meet him.”

“I know. And I really like this guy. Even though I’ve only known him for four months, it doesn’t feel like it. He’s a great guy. And I’m not scared of him meeting you both. Even dad.”

She smiled brightly. “He sounds like it. And don’t worry about your father. You know he just wants to see you happy and it’s obvious you are.”

“Yeah, I am.” This time she couldn’t keep the smile off of her face if she tried.

They lapsed into silence again and she was overrun with thoughts about how her mom was such a strong fixture in her life.  No matter what, she would always take time to listen to her and give her advice. She knew her better than anyone and seemed to be able to figure out what was on her mind before she even said anything. Overall she was one of the most amazing people she knew. She finally recognized that it was time to voice these thoughts out loud.

“Hey mom. So, I know I don’t say it enough, but I really appreciate you. You’re always there for me and I’m really lucky you’re my mom. I just wanted to say thank you and…I love you.” Her voice caught at the end but she cleared her throat and looked down briefly, feeling a tightening in her chest and stinging behind her eyelids.

Her mom smiled tenderly, squeezing her hand. “Oh, sweetie. I love you too. You’re the best daughter I could ask for. And please don’t make me cry while I’m driving.”

They shared a laugh at that as they continued on to their destination. As her mom drove on, she gazed out the window at the beautiful scenery passing by. She found herself reflecting on Zig and his smirk and how strong yet gentle he was. She imagined him at work serving coffee and at the bookstore pricing text books. She thought of all the places she would take him when he came to town and all the study sessions they would have next semester. She missed him still but now her thoughts were more positive. Her spirits had been lifted and she even felt lighter. Thanks to her talk with her mom, she felt that she could do this…that  _ they  _ could do this. Her hope for her and Zig’s future had been strengthened a little more.

As she glanced over at her mom who was now bobbing her head and humming to a Taylor Swift song on the radio, she smirked. She decided then and there that, if she could one day be half the mother her own mother was to her, she’d be more than happy.

 


End file.
